am i being ripped off - BMW Forum

Aggieland81 · 03-11-2004, 04:34 PM

i took my car in today to get my window fixed, and they say i need a new window motor and its gonna be 350!! and labor is 200!!!! so 550 to fix my window, when i can find the part online for under 200!! does this seem absurd to anyone else. Also they say my shock mounts need to be changed and thats gonna be 300!!! is this crazy? or actually reasonable. Keep in my mind this isnt the dealer, its an independent shop.

Autotechnica · 03-11-2004, 04:40 PM

That's a rip off. I'm not sure how much the window motor costs. However, even if they charged you the correct price for the window motor, the labour fee if bogus. I could remove my door panel and reinstall the window motor is less than half an hour. The most they should charge you is 1 hour labour.

A pair of shock mounts at BMW run about $40CDN each ($25USD approx.). Maybe they markup about 20-30%, but they are still overcharging you. Labour I can remove the shock mounts and reinstall them in less than 40 min for both sides. However, charging by the book it should be 1 hour of labour per side (2 hours total). So they are still ripping you off for the shock mounts. Bring your car somewhere else. BMW's aren't that ridiculously expensive to fix. Plus if you have a screw driver and some wrenches, you can pretty much do all of these things yourself once you get the parts.

I'd say about $200CDN (150USD) labour + parts is resonable, I wouldn't pay it because it's quite simple to do. But that's why a shop would charge if they went by the book. The shop you went to it just totally ripping you off. Not even a BMW dealer would charge you that much.

Bryan

bimmerfan620 · 03-11-2004, 05:07 PM

hey agg, look at the pic I just attached, where I circled the prices in RED, they are listed there for the window motors, you can do it yourself....it's sooo easy, and taking the inside door trim off is as simple as turning on the television. what do you think?? still cheaper than your shop is charging you...

Aggieland81 · 03-11-2004, 05:20 PM

wow ok i just talked to the service manager, and earlier today he told my mom 350 part 140 labor, after i just talked to him he tried to tell me part is 210 labor is 105, and i go ok correct me if im wrong but isnt 210+105 315?? and he goes uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh well those door panels dont go back on very well, sometimes you have to buy a new door and use alot of glue, and i go are you kidding me? dont touch it, im gonna take it somewhere else, and he goes ok well i have already taken the door panel off, so im going to have to charge you to put it back on, and i said, who told you to take the door panel off?? and he goes earlier today after i spoke to your mom when i told her the window motor had to be replaced, we had to take it off to see that, then i say, so u knew the motor had to be replaced with out even looking at it? and he goes well were closing up right now i can call you in the morning with a quote! IM FREAKING OUT!! WHO DOES THIS GUY THINK HE IS!!

ghead

bimmerfan620 · 03-11-2004, 05:32 PM

thats bogus..........No work is supposed to be performed unless you state so.. although if you told him to diagnose the problem, then he can charge you for an inspection fee, but that is all.. He can't charge you hr costs for taking it apart, and putting it on. thats BS...I would straighten shit out with this guy......and PS, taking the door inner trim off takes me a minute and a half....yup...thats just 90 seconds with a screw driver alone..... what a crock of shit if he is going to charge you though... oh, and it sounds like this guy is giving you the run around on prices, changing them here and there, it doesn't sound like he knows how to work on cars, let alone BMW's... anyway, the price of the parts that I showed you should tell you that you should buy the part yourself, if you can, do it yourself, otherwise take your part, to a different shop, and tell them to install the part you bought..

WickedBimmer · 03-11-2004, 05:55 PM

Or..... buy a used part here....! has lots of new n used bmw parts, http://www.cherry-auto.com/

WickedBimmer

Aggieland81 · 03-11-2004, 05:55 PM

he told me it is really hard to put door panel back on, alot of glueing, he also almost tried to charge me for a new door!!

Autotechnica · 03-11-2004, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Aggieland81@Mar 11 2004, 07:35 PM
he told me it is really hard to put door panel back on, alot of glueing, he also almost tried to charge me for a new door!!

There are 2 screws under the door handle and clips all around the door. No glueing.

Bry

Michael@EuroPersona · 03-11-2004, 06:19 PM

aggie, check your pm's, and where do you live? they are giving you rediculas prices man. contacty me asap

Mattitjah · 03-11-2004, 07:35 PM

It is common that they try to over charge when women come in the shop. NEVER send a woman to a mech.

That dude is total bogus! I have never heard of such shit! Pick your car up as fast as possible and never go back! Go there first thing tomorrow morning when they open and pick up the car before he does some other crap to it.

GLUEING!!!???...

Take back the car before he decides to GLUE the door pannel back on. If he as much as come near your Bimmer with glue, shove it up his ass.

Andrewsd1985 · 03-11-2004, 08:42 PM

Ask him why he is glueing it, glue is for macaroni and paper not BMWs.

Furious · 03-11-2004, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Andrewsd1985@Mar 11 2004, 09:22 PM
Ask him why he is glueing it, glue is for macaroni and paper not BMWs.

actually guys you do have to glue a few peices back on. the passenger door stays on ok. but the drivers side always does this.

the main piece that needs to be glued on is the plastic strip that goes into the clips on the door and is connected to the top of the door skin (on the inside of course).

the other thing that usually come off is the door pocket (rear one) it sometimes happens.
these things need to be glued on. but it doesnt take longer than 10 minutes. i have had to do this almost everytime (and ive done everything on different e36's , broken window clips, broken window, bad motor, replace door speakers etc)

bimmerfan620 · 03-12-2004, 02:21 PM

had both fronts, drivers and passengers inside door panels off, screws and come pop clips, and i've had the rear passenger doors inside paneling off, same as the fronts. I've never had to add glue to my doors whatsoever. I've never broken a clip either, so this might be why he wants to glue it. He might have broken off your clips and wants to fix it cheap like the cheap sun of a butch he is...

007ben · 03-12-2004, 06:25 PM

new door clips can be had from bavauto.com

Furious · 03-12-2004, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bimmerfan620@Mar 12 2004, 03:01 PM
had both fronts, drivers and passengers inside door panels off, screws and come pop clips, and i've had the rear passenger doors inside paneling off, same as the fronts. I've never had to add glue to my doors whatsoever. I've never broken a clip either, so this might be why he wants to glue it. He might have broken off your clips and wants to fix it cheap like the cheap sun of a butch he is...

its not the clips you glue in.